


San Junipero

by moriin



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Black Mirror AU, Fluff, M/M, Original Character Death(s), Platonic Allura/Keith (Voltron), but i just really love this episode, it'll all be explained eventually, you don't have to watch Black Mirror or the episode to understand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-30 06:39:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11458104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moriin/pseuds/moriin
Summary: A world where the dying and the dead can virtually upload themselves to a reality where they are young again. They can time-travel to any decade they desire, but the living can only stay for five hours every week.San Junipero is the beach resort of every spring break college-goers dream; a small, honest town that never sleeps with a popular nightclub called Altea. When Lance sees Keith, a cute newcomer, walk into Altea, he figures maybe this town isn't so boring after all.One is paralyzed on his deathbed and one still has some time here in the real world. Will they both decide to cross over into this virtual afterlife?





	1. 1987 - 7:03 PM

**Author's Note:**

> Black Mirror AU: S3E4 - San Junipero

Keith walked in the middle of the streets of San Junipero. It was a little past seven, so the night was young, and the people even younger, but that didn't stop them from partying until dawn. The neon lights of the town were already on, even though the sun had barely set. This town, Keith figured, was a town meant for the soul-searching and thrill-seeking; a town that might not be for him.

But he had just arrived, so it was hard to tell. After a few thoughtful minutes, Keith broke away from his thoughts to see that the streets were cleared of people. The only thing that caught his eyes was a glowing, pink sign that said 'Altea'.

Out of curiosity, he walked up to the building. He could feel the bass of the music beneath his shoes. Ah, so it was a nightclub. Peering into the open windows, he saw a crowded dance floor full of the young and the heartless dancing like no one was watching; like the world had no plans for any of them.

"Must be nice," Keith muttered, brows furrowed with annoyance.

He knew better than to judge other people's lives without truly knowing them, but he can't help but feel jealous. He wanted to be like them, too. He wanted to feel free, feel joy, feel life. He wanted simply to feel.

Maybe an hour or two in this place would make him feel if only a little.

Keith swallowed his pride and took a step into what seemed like Neverland, where the people stayed young forever. The first thing about this place that caught Keith's eye was the arcade games in the corner. Keith smirked, jogging over to the corner faster than he had expected.

"Voltron," he said, reading the flashing title. The arcade game only had one joystick and two buttons. "Simple enough."

The clicks and the pews were hard to hear over the bumping music. Even so, Keith never thought something so juvenile, so simple, could put a soft smile on his face, one that he hadn't put on in years.

Not five minutes into his game, he saw at the corner of his eye someone watching over his shoulder.

"Hey, you're really good!" he said, almost spilling nacho cheese sauce on Keith's jacket.

"Uh, thanks," he muttered, not paying attention.

"So, you come here often?"

Keith died early into the game, not even making it to the Top 10 on the scoreboard. "Dammit!"

"Oh, did I do that? Sorry man!"

Keith swung his head to glare at his new companion. The stranger gave a sheepish smile, one that was hard for Keith to stay mad at. "It's fine. And no, I'm new. Just visiting."

"Well, welcome to San Junipero! The name's Hunk. What brings you to this small town?"

"Keith. I have to go to the bathroom." Keith went around his new friend and towards an area that probably wasn't the bathroom, but better than nothing.

"Uh, ok! See you around, Keith! 'Come here often....?' Idiot!"

Keith should have known better than to think to walk through a crowd full of people to find a bathroom. Clubs were weird - one wrong turn and your face is in someone's elbow or you find yourself near the VIP section. Well, it wasn't all too terrible. Seeing the different souls dance amongst each other to Whitney Houston was quite the experience. Who knew what their lives were like before coming here?

Scanning the dance floor, Keith saw all the glamour in dancing like no one was watching. And he wanted to feel that way, too. But not alone.

Keith locked eyes with a stranger in the middle of the dance floor. His eyes pierced into Keith's soul, as if to say, 'What's someone like you doing here?' He felt the blush creep up on his cheeks and that once familiar feel of vigor strum in his heart. He swallowed thickly, wanting to look away from embarrassment, but couldn't. The stranger had locked onto Keith and wasn't planning on letting him go.

It wasn't until the stranger began walking towards him that Keith started to panic. Shit, he thought.

"Hey, there," the stranger said. Keith couldn't keep his eyes off of his devilish smirk. "Dance with me."

And for some reason, Keith took his hand and followed, without question or hesitation.

Their bodies got lost in the crowd, dancing away and mixing into the mess. No one cared that he just accepted a dance with a stranger, no one cared about anything in this town. Keith could only focus on the music and how it made him feel. He watched the way his dance partner smiled like the night would never end, and Keith didn't want it to.

So this is what it's like. This is what it was like to feel again.

After who knows how long, the stranger took Keith's hand and pulled him so close that he could feel his breath tickle his ear. "My name is Lance, by the way."

"I'm Keith."

"You're new in town, aren't you?"

"How could you tell?"

"Well, I've never seen someone like you here before, and I've been here plenty of times ~"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Keith questioned, unsure of how to interpret Lance's comment.

"Relax ~ Loosen up a little, baby! You've been stiff since you walked into this place."

"You saw me walk in?"

"Like I said," Lance tilted Keith's chin up to look him straight in the eyes. He smiled at how confused Keith looked. It was cute. "I've never seen someone like you here before. Of course you'd catch my eye."

Keith slapped his hand from his chin and looked away, covering the redness of his face with his hair. 

"Clubbing's not your thing, huh?" Lance chuckled. "Why don't we go some where more cozy?"

"I'm not sleeping with you."

"WHOA, who said anything about that! Jeez, can't a guy ask for a deep conversation on a rooftop about the stars in the sky without having someone assume I want to do it with them? Sheesh, people these days...."

"What 'days' are we talking about here?"

"Well, Keith, why don't we save that for our rooftop conversation, eh?" Lance too his hand and led the way to the roof. "Hm, 'Keith'. I like that name."

The rooftop wasn't at all hard to get to. Things in San Junipero really were as laid back as people say. Keith and Lance sat on the rooftop of Altea, legs swinging off the edge, watching the people of the town have the time of their lives.

"So where are you from, Keith?" Lance asked.

"San Francisco."

"Wow, what a coincidence! I'm from San Diego. I guess that's not really a coincidence, but hey, you're the first person I met that's from California! So what brings you to this bashful town?"

Keith cleared his throat, not taking his eyes off of the happy town-goers. Why brings him here? Well....

"I've just heard great things about this place." At least he wasn't lying. "What about you?"

"Same thing. I guess I loved the town so much, I never left!"

Never left? Keith felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach.

"Never left? So you're....?"

"OH, no! I just visit a lot! Don't worry your pretty little head," he smirked. "You can't miss someone you've barely met!"

"Sh-Shut up. But are a lot of people here....?"

"Half and half. Quite surprising, other places are very segregated and you can easily tell who's who. But here, I guess no one really cares about that stuff. No one really cares about anything in this town." Lance sighed, looking over to his new friend that just couldn't keep his eyes off of the town. "What about you?"

"No, I'm not."

"Good," Lance put his hand on top of Keith. It felt cold, something all too familiar with Lance. "I'm glad."

"How long have you been coming here?" 

"A few months now. Since it all started. I didn't hesitate and jumped into this full speed!" Looking at Lance, Keith figured he could get used to the way he smiled like the sun. "Is just your first time in San Junipero, or your first time in general?"

"First time in general."

"Well, hey! Congrats and welcome, I guess! You must be glad to have someone as experienced as me with you, hm?" Lance teased, leaning closer to Keith.

"I wouldn't say glad."

"You're right, 'ecstatic' is what I meant."

Keith chuckled, covering his mouth with his free hand. Lance eyes softened as he watched. He hadn't known him for long, but it was easy to tell that Keith wasn't exactly the most let-loosey guy. He was one of those uptight, stick-to-the-book kind of guys, the exact ones that Lance completely avoided. Maybe it was a curse for dropping so many people during his times in San Junipero.

The one time he wanted someone to stay, it had to be someone like Keith. But maybe if Keith stayed, Lance wouldn't mind his ways so much.

"Well, pretty boy, my time here is almost up," Lance said.

"Already?" Keith asked, blushing at how desperate he sounded.

"I came here a little earlier than usual. I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow."

"You'll be back though, right?"

"I'll be back at Altea next week at 9:30 PM sharp. That's when all the babes come out," he smirked.

Before Keith could protest, he felt the soft lips of the stranger press against his forehead for a short moment. Never in Keith's entire life had he felt something so intimate and so honest. When Lance pulled away, Keith could only look at him with awe and desire.

"Don't be late."

_1987 - 9:45 PM_


	2. 1987 - 9:25 PM pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another night in San Junipero takes Keith on the ride of his life.
> 
> Lance begins to like Keith; a lot. But that's not how things work here in San Junipero. There's no such thing as love or hope. There's only souls that live. And what's life without any purpose here?
> 
> Because when those five hours are over, it's back to reality for the both of them until next time.
> 
> One is paralyzed on his deathbed and one still has a some time here in the real world. Do they really want to get lost in this fantasy town?
> 
> It couldn't hurt to try.

9:25 PM. A little early, Keith thought to himself. He cursed under his breath for being so impatient and eager. Desperate wasn't a good look for him.

San Junipero looked the same as it did last week and there was something calming about the unchanging atmosphere. Everyone in this town was.... happy. Now Keith understood why Allura had said to be careful - it was easy to get lost and smitten with the virtual world.

Altea's lights flashed the same shade of pink. The same crowd of people squeezed on the dance floor. Scanning the crowd, Keith couldn't see any sight of Lance. Then his heart began to speed up. Was he being toyed with? I mean, his first night here last week, meeting someone so charismatic, it was easy for someone so vulnerable like Keith to get played.

Maybe these virtual towns were just the same as the real world.

Keith looked to the couches for a place to sit. His eyes widened when they met with the same ones that brought him here in the first place. It's no wonder he couldn't find Lance.

But he wasn't alone. He sat with some other boy Keith was unfamiliar with. Lance must have noticed the shock on his face because he simply smirked at him and went back to the conversation he was having with the other boy, playing with his hair and laughing like they were together.

Keith felt an ache in his heart that was familiar to him in his teen years. What game was Lance playing at, and why did he have to get involved?

Since Keith already wasted his breath coming into this god-forsaken place, he figured he'd at least try to enjoy himself. So he took a seat at the bar not too far from Lance and ordered a coke.

"Coke?" the bartender scoffed. "Looks like you'll need something stronger than that."

"Oh, no, I don't -"

"Live a little, will ya? That's what you're here for, right? It's on the house," he said, handing Keith a Jack n Coke. "My names Shiro."

"Keith."

"You new in town?"

"Second time here." His face twisted in disgust as he sipped the alcohol.

"Well, welcome to Altea, the heart of San Junipero. What's your purpose here?"

"Just visiting for now."

"Testing the waters before you cross over, huh? That's how I was, too, and a lot of other people here. I chose to stay," Shiro smiled as he reminisced of his times before San Junipero. "Enjoy yourself while you're here. Seems like you already have."

"What do you mean?" Keith asked, raising a brow.

"Infamous Lance keeps looking over here."

A blush warmed his cheeks, unsure of whether it was from alcohol or the fact that Lance bothered to look over. Ever so subtly, Keith looked over his shoulder. Lance looked at Keith with a fire in his eyes that asked him 'do you want to play?'. The boy that Lance was toying with earlier kept talking to him, but Lance didn't bother listening. With a scoff, Keith turned back to Shiro.

Lance dramatically clenched his heart. My pride! he thought. What does Keith think he's doing, playing me at my own game!?

"Wow," Shiro whistled, breaking Keith from his thoughts. "I've never seen someone resist Lance's charm like that."

"I don't like to be messed with."

"I can tell. But like I said, enjoy yourself. Who knows how long you have until you make your decision to cross over or not."

With a sigh, Keith chugged the last of his drink. "Can I get another one? Can you even get drunk here?"

"If there was one thing the creators of the virtual world made sure of, it's that you can get drunk."

"You tryna get my friend here drunk, Shiro?"

Keith's ears perked up as Lance's tanned arm wrapped around his shoulder. He shot Keith a quick wink before turning his attention back on Shiro.

"Didn't know he was your friend," Shiro smirked.

"What do you mean, we go waaaay~ back, isn't that right Keith?" Lance asked. Keith could smell the alcohol on Lance's breath when he pressed his forehead to his temple.

"Hm."

"Wow, so cruel!" Lance cried.

"Thanks for the drinks, Shiro," Keith waved goodbye, slipping under Lance's grip to walk away.

"Come back any time!" Shiro chuckled at Lance's disbelief expression. "He doesn't crack like your other toys."

"Can you believe that guy!? Ignoring me like some.... some....!"

"Asshole?"

"Yeah! Wait, am I the asshole or is he the asshole?"

"Lance, even in the virtual world, you can't play with people's hearts like that. Who knows how much time they have left? Don't you want him to cross over so he can enjoy the afterlife?"

"Ugh, I mean I guess."

"Don't lie, I can tell that you like him."

"H-How!?"

"You don't hide your bedroom eyes very well."

"Shut up, I do that to everyone."

"Not twice."

"Ok, whatever, I guess I'll go find him."

Lance groaned as he chased after his lover boy. Where oh where could a lost boy like Keith run off to?

"Fuck," Lance heard in the distance. Looking over to the arcade side, he saw Keith struggling to play Voltron.

Lance casually leaned on the game, hoping Keith would so much as give him a glance. But no avail. It was irritating to Lance - no one had ever ignored him like this before! He was always the center of attention, so why wasn't Keith giving him attention!?

"Can I help you?" Keith finally muttered.

"Need some help with your game there?" Lance asked, trying to act cool. Finally, he acknowledged me.

"No."

"C'mon, here. There's always that one kitty monster in the corner that you miss that kills you."

Lance stood next to Keith and placed his hands over his. Keith's hand was gripping the joystick with his life and his hand hovering the buttons was shaking. But when Keith felt Lance's warm hands on top of his, he immediately relaxed, liking the feeling. The warmth travelled up his arm the longer Lance held him there.

"Ah, gotcha! See? Wasn't so hard, was it?" Lance grinned. Oh, they were playing the game still.

"Yeah...."

"Saw you came here early. Miss me that much?" Lance teased, leaning over to get close to Keith.

"You were here earlier than I was."

"Didn't wanna keep you waiting, my dear ~"

"Mm," Keith mumbled, not really sure how to react to the pet name. He kind of liked it.

"Why don't we go back to my place?" Lance had Keith trapped between the arcade game and his chest. Their noses were practically touching and Keith could feel Lance's hairs tickle his forehead.

"I- I mean, I don't -"

"Do you trust me?"

"Do I.... trust you?" Keith asked himself. And for some reason, he said, "Yes."

"Then let's have some fun tonight," Lance's thumb caressed the bottom of Keith's lip. "Run away with me."

Lance was a boy like no other. Normally, Keith would be able to turn down poor attempts like these in the real world. But there was something about Lance that made Keith trust him. Was it the fire in his eyes that made Keith melt? Was it the smile the looked like the sun? Was it the warmth of his skin?

Either way, Keith wanted run with him and never go back.

"Take me away," Keith whispered.

With his signature smirk, Lance took Keith by the hand. "Oh, baby, I will."

_1987 - 10:32 PM_


	3. 1987 - 9:25 PM pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Why are you here, Lance?"
> 
> "I'm here to feel alive."
> 
> After a night together, Keith and Lance learn about each other's lives outside of paradise San Junipero. Their past unfolds in front of one another and their hearts connect on a whole different level.
> 
> Lance starts to feel the pressure of 'forever' - was it moral to keep a soul living in this purgatory? Was it moral to fall for another soul floating here with him? Lance is scared, and it might be because he finds a reason to want to stay.
> 
> They say that Heaven is a place on Earth and Keith might have found it here in San Junipero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance have a discussion about the afterlife and what happens when you die.
> 
> Please keep an open mind!

When Lance said that he would take Keith away from it all, he meant it. He drove a car that was typical of a place like this - open windows, open roof top, music and bass at the max volume. Keith had never made it past Altea, so to see a beachy scenery on the way to nowhere was a sight to see.

They arrived at a single white beach house that faced the ocean. The air smelled like salt and felt so fresh that one could forget that the world was virtual.

Without a word, Lance took Keith's hand and led him into the house. It felt so surreal to Keith - a scenario like this could only happen in his dreams. He felt his heart racing, both from excitement and fear at the same time.

The second they entered the house, Lance held Keith's face in with his hands and kissed him.

In his whole life, Keith never felt lips so soft, so warm. It took him a bit to kiss back, still processing what was happening. But Shiro's voice echoed in his mind, telling him to relax and live a little, so he closed his eyes and melted under Lance's touch.

For the first time in years, Keith felt _alive_.

And that was the purpose of a world like this, right? To feel alive.

To _feel_.

Lance was the first to break the kiss. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he whispered.

"Then keep going," Keith challenged, a bit out of breath. His mind and vision were hazy - was it the alcohol or pure lust? He was intoxicated on something.

Lance chuckled, tugging Keith forward by his belt loop. "Let's go upstairs."

When they entered the bedroom, this time Keith took the lead. He pushed Lance onto the bed and crawled on top, kissing him with hunger and fervor. He liked this feeling of being alive, and if it meant it would be with Lance, he could get used to this.

"A little eager, aren't we?" Lance teased as Keith trailed kisses down his neck.

"Shut up."

Another chuckled escaped Lance's lips as he tangled his fingers in Keith's hair, submitting his all to him.

It all felt too good to be true. The ecstasy that vibrated in Keith's body felt real. Everything about Lance just felt _so real_. He could grip his muscles, feel the heat of his body, taste the salt on his skin, and to Keith, it felt like the idea of forever was tangible.

It really, truly felt too good to be true.

And that's what Lance feared the most.

They laid next to each other, trying to catch their breaths, the sweat cooling off as the ocean breeze flew through the windows. For a moment, they just lay in silence. It was like one of those existential crises moments, where all they could think about was life after this - after tonight, after San Junipero, after death.

"What's it like out there for you?" Keith asked, staring at the ceiling.

"You meant out in the real world?"

"Yeah.... Do you have a family?"

Lance sighed through his nose as his face softened. "I do. I have two children and three grandchildren."

"What are they like?"

Lance turned to look at Keith. Keith looked at him with genuine curiosity. He wanted to know more about the Infamous Lance. He wanted to know what life was like for him outside of this world, and he hoped it was a life much better than his.

"What are they like? Well, my oldest is a boy. He's just like me, a wild little rascal, even to this day. My second child is my baby girl. She's just like her mother," Lance paused, tears welling up in his eyes. "My three grandchildren are all girls, already off to college."

"Sounds like a beautiful family," Keith said, a hint of sadness in his voice. Keith wasn't jealous at the fact Lance has a wife, or children, or grandchildren. It's the fact that Lance has a life outside of here.

"It is," Lance agreed.

"Tell me more," Keith ushered. "What do you do when you're not here?"

"Other than see my family, I live in a nursing home."

"With shitty food and service?"

"No no," Lance chuckled. "Imagine this beach house, but filled with hot nurses and other old, horny men."

"Mm, it must be nice." Keith hesitated, heart racing as he dared to ask this question. "What.... What about your wife?"

Lance laid in silence for a few minutes. Before he knew it, he felt the hot tears run down the sides of his cheeks. Without hesitation, Keith gently wiped his tears away, and smiled when he heard Lance laugh. Lance took his hand in his and held it against his bare chest.

"She passed a few years ago."

"Oh, I-I'm sorry -"

"No, it's ok, I should be able to talk about her without crying like a baby by now," Lance joked, giving Keith a reassuring smile.

"Where is she?"

"Definitely not here. She.... She decided not to cross over."

Keith's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't even think what it'd be like to not crossover.... to live in nothingness. "What? Why?"

"She was raised religious and thought that this was not what God had intended for people to do in the afterlife. She believed in a Heaven up in the clouds with the big gates and a perfect paradise."

Keith stayed silent as Lance continued, the tears streaming down his face never stopping. "God, you can imagine how pissed I was when I found out she didn't want to cross over. When we vowed 'til death do us fucking part, she kept her word. Forty-plus years of marriage are gone. That's when I learned that there's no such thing as forever."

Lance felt Keith's finger play with his hair, and it felt all too familiar. But it was soothing and it kept the tears from falling, so he moved closer.

"Even in a place like this, you don't believe in forever?"

"It's hard to really believe in anything anymore at my age," he said. "The only forever is that I die and stay here in this purgatory or God knows what. Either way, I'll be stuck in a loop, be it a loop of black and nothingness or a loop where I relive the same day everyday."

"I suppose if you look at it that way...."

"It's scary, you know? Death. And what's to come after it...."

"Have you decided yet?"

"No, I haven't. I'll be honest with you, I'm scared. How the fuck am I supposed to just _decide_ my end fate like that, you know!? Like, what's the point of it all!? It's all so.... numbing."

Keith only listened to Lance's breathing as he tried to calm down. He never really looked at death like that before...

"What about you? What's it like in the world of Keith?"

"I'm an orphan. No children, but I have a fiance. Her name's Allura."

"A fiance, huh? Isn't this considered cheating, then?" Lance smirked.

"It's.... complicated."

"Alright alright, I won't ask ~ But what do you do when you're not here?"

"Nothing.... I do nothing."

"Nothing? What does that mean?"

"I'm on my deathbed."

Lance sat up quickly, looking at Keith with wide eyes. "D-Deathbed!?"

Keith nodded, unaffected. "Connected by tubes and everything."

"What happened?"

"I got in a bad car accident. The tubes are the only thing keeping me alive. They gave me the option to test out this virtual reality and I get to decide if I want to stay or not."

"Have I convinced you?" Lance joked.

"Shut up," Keith said, although the smile on his face deceived him. "I like it here."

"I'm glad."

"Why are you here, Lance?"

It was a question that threw Lance off. He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Lance had everything Keith didn't - a loving family, an able body, a purpose to live. So why was he here?

"I'm here to feel alive."

_1987 - 2:25 AM_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I skipped the 'exciting' part!! ; ~ ; I'm not too familiar with how the, uh, process goes, to be honest.....


End file.
